Local farmers unhappy about Chevron’s 16th Senate contributions

by John Ellis
on June 19, 2013

Some in the Valley’s agriculture community are unhappy that Chevron Corp. has made a second sizable campaign contribution to an independent group that supported Bakersfield Democrat Leticia Perez over Republican Andy Vidak last month in the 16th District state Senate special election.

Chowchilla-area farmer Kole Upton is so unhappy about the contributions that he and others are discussing ways to boycott Chevron. One way is to get their local fuel suppliers to stop buying from Chevron.

On April 16, Chevron contributed $100,000 to Californians for Jobs and a Strong Economy, which was the largest of many donations to the independent organization. The organization then spent $230,000 in support of Perez ahead of the May 23 special election, according to campaign finance reports.

None of the five candidates won an outright majority in the primary election, so the top two finishers — Vidak and Perez — will now face off in a July 23 runoff.

On June 3, Chevron gave another $150,000 to Californians for Jobs and a Strong Economy. Many in the local agriculture industry think that money will help Perez in the coming July 23 runoff election.

That’s not the case, Chevron says.

In an email, spokesman Morgan Crinklaw said the company “regularly supports candidates, organizations or ballot measures committed to economic development, free enterprise and good government.”

But Crinklaw said both contributions to Californians for Jobs and a Strong Economy that benefitted Perez were for use in the May primary election.

“We have made no donations for the July runoff election nor do we intend to do so,” Crinklaw said.

Valley farmers and ranchers are still unhappy.

They say Perez is not agriculture friendly, while Vidak is not only ag friendly, he’s also a farmer. They also point out that Perez supports the state’s proposed high-speed rail project, which is widely disliked among many in the local agriculture community.

Some tie the two donations back to Bakersfield Democrat Michael Rubio, who resigned from the Senate seat in February to work for Chevron. Rubio once employed Perez. Rubio declined comment.

John Harris

Some, however, question whether a boycott will even faze the energy giant.

“What any of us in this district buys from them or doesn’t buy from them won’t really make that much difference to them,” said west-side rancher John Harris, who is CEO and chairman of Harris Farms.

Instead, Harris said the best strategy would be to “find someone we can talk to at Chevron to express our genuine concerns for a company like this getting engaged in a local race with a contribution that distorted the outcome.”

Vidak fell a few hundred votes of an outright win in last month’s primary. All he needed was 50%-plus-one to avoid a runoff. He got 49.8%.

Upton, however, thinks diplomacy won’t work.

“We have no clout, none whatsoever,” he said. “You ask to talk to the corporation and they blow you off. You’re insignificant. Maybe we are, but we don’t have to do business with (Chevron).”

I counted three huge donations: $100,000 on April 16, $230,000 (date unknown) before May 23 and $150,000 on June 3 for a total of $480,000. And none of that money will be used in the runoff. Give me a break, Mr. Crinklaw.

Let’s see…Sen. Rubio suddenly bolted and went to work for Standard Oil. Now you’re strongly supporting another Democrat who loves to waste taxpayer money lavishly for the same seat and not supporting a farmer, Andy Vidak who truly is “committed to economic development, free enterprise and good government.” What’s in it for Chevron, sir? SOMETHING SMELLS AWFULLY BAD HERE.

So…..the farmers are going to boycott Chevron because of who they support……what if the consumers boycott the farmers because of who they support? I’m not positive, but I could swear I saw Crossroads GPS aka Karl Rove on a campaign donors list for Vidak. If true, thats the probable reason Vidak was even close in the race. The district is heavily Democrat. Don’t get me wrong….I love and appreciate farmers….just saying both sides have their financial ace in the hole….it would be nice if every person had a limit on their contribution and the PACs and corporations couldn’t give these contributions. Then we would be back to a government by and for the people. Until then, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.